Fiscal Accountability

At College of the Canyons, all general obligation bond funds remain under the control of the Santa Clarita Community College District Board of Trustees.

Who approves construction contracts?

All construction contracts, including any change orders, must be approved by the Board of Trustees in accordance with the California Education Code and Public Contract Code.

Are projects sent out to bid? Who oversees and approves those bids?

The Board of Trustees examines all submitted construction bids, and final bids cannot be awarded without board approval. As part of the district's construction-management system, the district bids each part of every project separately so there is oversight of each portion of every project.

Is there an Oversight Committee for Measure C? What does it do?

The Measure C Citizens Oversight Committee was formed after voters approved Measure C in 2001. It meets regularly in open session to review expenditures and ensure that they fall within the resolution authorized by voters. The books are open, and all meeting agendas and minutes are posted online for public review.

Who serves on the Oversight Committee?

When the Board of Trustees appointed the Measure C Citizens Oversight Committee, it accepted all 12 people who applied, although the law required only seven. The original committee was composed of the following individuals:

Is there a system in place that ensures the Board of Trustees and Oversight Committee are fiscally responsible?

Since Measure C passed, independent auditors have examined the expenditures of Measure C bond funds annually. For the first two years the district asked auditors to examine 100 percent of the transactions, rather than a sampling. The audits have been exemplary, with no recommendations for improvement.

Who are the auditors?

The auditors are Vavrinek, Trine, Day & Co. LLP of Rancho Cucamonga, California.

What types of audits are involved?

The auditors have performed two types of audits: A fiscal audit that examines all of the books to ensure they are accurate and that the district follows all laws and regulations; and a performance audit that ensures that all processes for bidding, contracts, invoicing, approvals and oversight have been followed correctly. Both types of audits determined that the district is in strict and complete compliance.

What ratings have Measure C bonds received?

The college district's bonds have received AA ratings from Standard and Poor's, and Fitch Inc. -- the highest ratings possible for California bonds. These companies determined that the district had extremely strong fiscal management and accountability, based on more than 10 years of maintaining a 6 percent reserve, clean audit, and no deficit spending.​​​​